As part of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the CMAs, the academy has been inviting young country artists to cover songs of the greats. Country singer Michael Ray paid tribute to living legend Kris Kristofferson with a striking cover of his iconic "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down."

The "Kiss You in the Morning" singer performed a stripped down version of Kristofferson's country classic in an intimate setting. The smooth demeanor of the performance allows Ray to demonstrate his expert level of talent both musically as well as vocally.

"Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" was written by Kristofferson in 1969 and was covered by both Ray Stevens and Johnny Cash who skyrocketed the song to No.1 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles in 1970. Kristofferson regards the classic as the song that allowed him to stop working for a living due to its monumental success.

Watch Michael Ray's cover of the iconic country classic in the video below and be sure to let us know what you think in the comments!